Dear Reader,
I hope you are doing well. As I mentioned in my last editor’s note after returning as Editor-in-Chief, the world is not in a good place right now. Hence, I want to break the algorithm of Brat Summer and everything else that social media wants us to see, instead of focusing on what is truly happening on the other side of the world. I stand firmly with the people of Palestine and Lebanon and sincerely hope that justice will find its place.
While we are preparing a statement about these events, I wanted to first say that I came back to Europe&Me to talk about issues that truly matter. While everyone has the right to read whatever they want, I was concerned when looking at our views dashboard and seeing that sex-related topics were receiving the most attention over the last couple of weeks after E&M’s short break. Meanwhile, the topics we approach with the utmost care—on human rights, homophobia, genocide, and war—were barely getting attention. It’s not that I don’t want to talk about sex or treat it as an important topic, but in these times, it feels more urgent to seek information on what really matters right now. We need to share the stories of those who have no voice and fight for justice because, in the words of a Chilean-Palestinian singer, “The world is sleeping on a hurt child.”
For this reason, we have decided to create an issue that tackles more complex themes. For example, I share an interview with Nelli, where I openly discuss my mental health and being on medication for almost ten years. It was challenging to put myself out there, but I hope this conversation sparks a small light for those who are struggling with mental health and trying to collect the broken pieces along the way.
Niusha, our monthly author, explores how the cities we move to shape the way we think, how they change over time, and how they become a part of us—their people and their influence on our overall sense of being. I met Niusha through a friend, and her writing style is not only poetic but also full of insights that are crucial for understanding these connections. When I read her first article for us, I was captivated by her words.
While reflecting on cities, our new editor Fiona shares a story about being chased by stray dogs in Prishtina, Kosovo, one morning. Her article examines what representatives in Kosovo should take into consideration and highlights how stray dogs remain a pressing problem, even after many attempts to resolve it. Many of my friends who live in Prishtina have at least one horrifying story of being chased or even attacked by stray dogs.
Nelli, our social media manager and editor, has often emphasized—both in private and in group calls—how frustrating it is, as a lesbian, to be sexualized by men who think it’s “hot” to see two women together. Many heterosexual men admit to finding two women together arousing and use lesbian porn to indulge these fantasies. It is disgusting and terrifying that women today not only face the patriarchy but also endure a relentless sexualization that knows no limits. Nelli invited other FLINTA people to fill out a questionnaire to explore their experiences, and the results confirmed this reality: no matter how women identify, they are sexualized, endangered, and suffer under patriarchy, while the roads at night belong to men and men only.
Thank you for being our loyal reader. I can’t wait for you to dive into this carefully curated issue!
Image by Šventa
